


Until You Find Me Again

by EpicHandonLove208



Series: Part 1 of Until You Find Me Again [1]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: AU, Brief mention of Josie Saltzmen, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epic Love, F/M, Handon as humans, Lizzie Saltzmen being iconic, Possible Reconciliation, Post The Salvatore School, Three years since Handon broke up, real love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:41:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 9,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23493367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicHandonLove208/pseuds/EpicHandonLove208
Summary: Hope Mikaelson and Landon Kirby have been broken up for three years, and haven’t seen each other since. That is-until one night-at a bonfire party that their best friend, Lizzie Saltzmen organized. Now, not only is Landon all-too-curious about why he and Hope broke up in the first place, he’s also determined to reconcile with the woman he loves. And Hope? Well, she’ll soon learn that her steel walls are nothing against the ever-growing fire that is Landon Kirby.
Relationships: Landon Kirby/Hope Mikaelson
Series: Part 1 of Until You Find Me Again [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690330
Comments: 39
Kudos: 80





	1. “I’m Always In Your Mind.”

I saw him through the dimly-lit fire, those green-gray eyes glimmering in the moonlight. A thousand memories played inside my head, as they had for the past three years that we’ve been apart. The song that he wrote and sang to me in his bedroom at the Salvatore Boarding School, his speech in front of the fireplace, our mistletoe kiss after we got back together for the first and ultimately-last-time. 

I blinked and the memories receded back into the corners of my mind and heart, only to be re-visited when I’m alone at night and can cry myself to sleep over the loss of Landon Kirby. Although the man that I love stands not even three paces away from me, he might as well have been a million miles away. Here, at a bonfire with my two best friends, Lizzie and Josie Saltzmen, and a bunch of other people bustling around the party and making noise, all I can focus on is the love of my life. 

Finally, Landon catches my light blue eyes staring back at him. His mouth slightly parts as if in shock, and his expression told me that memories had stolen his breath. For a second, we just stared at each other as I got a better look at his profile: a white dress shirt, sleeves pulled up to show bare arms, and hair almost as long as the first time I met him. In return, he must’ve been staring at my burgundy dress [courtesy of Lizzie] and straight, auburn hair that hangs low on my shoulders, and just a touch of red lipstick [also courtesy of Lizzie.]

Landon broke eye contact first, peering down at the ground. “Um, so what are you doing here?” He asked, clearly nervous. I crossed my arms, anger spiking my blood. When Landon saw this action, he backtracked so quickly it gave me whiplash. “I-I mean, Lizzie didn’t tell me that you’d be here.”

My heart skipped, realizing I hadn’t heard his low, soothing voice-or his stammer, for that matter-in all of three years. “Elizabeth Jenna Saltzmen, I am going to murder you,” I murmured. Landon looked bemused for a moment, shaking his head. “What?”

I sighed, resigned. “Nothing,” I whispered. “Absolutely nothing.”

Landon peered up at me, straight in the eyes. Indecision was a war in his green-gray irises. “Can I ask you something?”

My arms slowly unfold and-despite myself-the tone of my voice softens immediately. “Of course, Landon.”

His expression suddenly became dejected. “Why? Why’d you break up with me?”

My breath caught in my throat. The pain of that day is still fresh, even after three years. Landon shifted closer so that his hands were just ever-so-slightly caressing my cheeks. The act was so simple-so natural-that it brought tears to my eyes. “I-I can’t tell you,” my voice broke. 

“Hey,” Landon’s tone was so soft that I had to strain to hear him. “You don’t have to answer right now, but I will break down those walls. If I did it before, I can sure as hell do it again and again.”

I smiled, weakly. “You can try,” I quipped. He kissed me then, and I stumbled back from the force of it. I grasped his jet-black hair, playing with the longer locks while he still caressed my cheeks. He groaned out a deep moan, and I sighed contentedly. Abruptly, Landon broke the kiss, smilled, and spun me into the throng of people. But not before whispering something in my ear that left me with shivers. 

“I’m always in your mind, Hope Mikaelson.”


	2. Chapter 2: “The Hobbit’s Love.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzie and Hope have a talk/argument...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, ya'll;)

“ELIZABETH JENNA SALTZMEN!” I screamed as I banged our apartment door shut behind me, almost tearing it off its hinges. The blonde came rushing into the large foyer, hair in a messy bun around her head, and a white robe covering her waist. “What? I was just about to take a show-”

“I could kill you!” My eyes bulge, blue flames of tiny fire as I step into close proximity to her. Her own blue eyes round. ‘Okay, I only used your shoe to kill that spider because it was crawling on my arm!”

I back up, confused. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Lizzie snapped a bit too quickly. She looked utterly bemused then. “Wait, what are you talking about?”

The room suddenly spun, and I tried to focus on my surroundings:the white granite table in the corner, the silver chandelier perched just a little off-kilter on the ceiling, and the chocolate-brown couch, which I sinked onto as memories assaulted me again. “Landon,” I whispered. 

“Oh, that!” Lizzie smiled conspiratorially. The blonde sat next to me, and I scooted over in order to give my best friend more room. “So, how was it? Did you fall in love again?” She asked, eyes alight with a warm, wistful expression that I’ve rarely seen on her. It made me wonder if she was missing MG, her husband, who’s currently on tour with Kaleb in California. I made a mental note to ask her later. 

“It was awful, Liz! All of the memories came rushing back like a flood. He asked me why we broke up in the first place, and obviously, I couldn’t tell him-”

“I still don’t understand,” she cut me off, shaking her head. “If you really thought Landon was capable of doing what those pictures suggested, why didn’t you just talk to him about them?” She asked pointedly.

I looked my best friend dead in the eyes, the burgundy dress swishing as I moved to do so. “I was pissed, okay?! I didn’t know what to think!” I shouted, defending myself. Lizzie shook her head again. “You didn’t even give the man a chance to explain. You didn’t trust him enough to give him that respect!” She spat. 

I slapped her, and the sound was like the crack of a whip in the otherwise silent room. I had never slapped her before, not even when she was a bitch to me in school. But her eyes were still warm when she looked at me a second later. Lizzie got up from the couch and went across the room, stomping her foot on the floorboards and making a crack. 

Once the floorboards were cracked down the middle, Lizzie pulled out a crumpled piece of white paper and brought it over to me. “This is from two years ago. If you don’t believe me that the hobbit’s love for you is the purest thing I’ve ever seen in the world, believe him.”

And, with those last words, she dropped the piece of paper into my hands and walked to her bedroom. 

I then opened the crumpled paper, read it twice, and sobbed myself to sleep.   
* **

Dear Hope, 

Lizzie kept telling me to stop sending these, but I couldn’t. Ever since I met you, whenever I’ve felt sad or scared-or even anxious-I’d write to you. So, here goes. You remember what I told you at the fireplace in school? How I’m gonna be the guy who always fights to find you again? 

Well, I’m gonna make good on that promise. Here. Now. No matter where you are or where I am, Hope Andrea Mikaelson, I will not stop until I’ve found you again. 

With love forever, 

-Landon


	3. “I Just Might Break.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The break up...3 years ago

I was standing in the hallway of The Salvatore Boarding School, wearing a black, sleeveless shirt, with my white suitcase in hand and my heart dead on the floor. Ironically enough, my feet were moving, but I couldn’t actually feel a damn thing. Landon caught up with me, though, and I tried moving away faster. He was in a buttoned-down red shirt, eyes bright with a care-free smile. 

I tried to ignore the way my traitorous heart fluttered at the sight of him. If anything, that made me angrier. “Hey,” Landon greeted as he started walking in front of me. When the absolute rage was evident in my expression, his face turned from happy to concerned and the smile dropped instantly. 

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Landon’s tone was softer now, anchoring me to this spot by grasping my shoulders. “Talk to me.”

“Talk to you?!” I exploded, my voice rising with every word. “I never want to see you again! Let. Go. Of. Me,” I managed to wriggle out of Landon’s grasp, but not before he took my left hand in his. Those green-gray eyes looked so hurt that I had to glance down. 

“You know, I could almost, ALMOST understand why you kept them. You wanted a keep-sake, that’s fine. But to post them online? Landon, how could you?” My voice was a whisper, as silent as the night.   
“How could I what?” Landon tried stepping closer, but I halted him with my hand raised. “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw your name printed all over them!” 

My tears were flowing freely now, and for once, I allowed them to. “I trusted you, you dick! I trusted you with everything-my heart, my body, and God-my soul! And you just threw it all away.” 

All the while, Landon kept shaking his head, confusion transforming his features into something unrecognizable-kind of like how I viewed him now. “Hope, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Believe me,” he pleaded. 

I just shook my head, too drained and heartbroken. The last thing I whispered as I walked away was: “Landon Kirby, if I ever trusted a word you said again, I think I might break.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cried, too, ya'll...


	4. “Take Good Care Of It.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon stops by Hope's art gallery...;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was just...wow! Enjoy;)

I woke up bleary-eyed and disoriented. I blinked several times in order to dislodge the feeling, groaning and stretching as I sat up. My plain black iPhone pinged with messages, and I grabbed it off my purple nightstand, screaming when I opened it and saw the time. Two-twenty-five P.M? The hell? 

“Lizzie! I shouted to the sleeping rock of a person opposite my beige bed, shaking her awake with the strength of a thousand wolves. “You were supposed to wake me up! Now I’m gonna be late to open Nik’s!” I grumbled. 

Lizzie turned over on her back, grunting with annoyance. “Hope, for the last FREAKIN’ time, it’s your art gallery! You own it. That means you can open up whenever you want,” She said as if I were a five-year- old that wasn’t understanding a math problem. 

I rolled my eyes, actually getting out of bed this time. “Hey, in case I don’t see you before I leave, love you.”

“Love you, too, crazy bitch,” she mumbled. I twisted my head towards the bed. “What was that?” I asked, a half smile playing on my lips. “Nothing, nothing!” She rushed out. 

Before I left the bedroom, a thought popped into my head. “Hey, Liz? How’d I get in here last night? I could’ve sworn I fell asleep on the couch.”

“I carried your tiny ass in here,” she grumbled like I was the heaviest thing she’d ever lifted. “Aww, you do have a heart,” I quipped. 

“If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you,” she threatened venomously. I smiled, thinking of my thoughts from just last night. “Please,” I whispered with a little venom of my own, “we both know I could swash you like a bug, Lizzie Saltzmen.”  
***

An hour later, I was showing potential buyers around the gallery, blue and white lights sparkling in the otherwise dim room. I had displays of my entire family on easels in the corner of the room: my auntie Rebekah, who’s now living in Paris with her husband, Marcel. My aunt Freya, who lives in New Orleans with her wife, Keelin, and their son, Nik. Lastly, my mom and dad, Hayley and Klaus, who both died when I was fifteen. 

The bell on the door chimed, knocking me out of my thoughts. I sighed when I saw who it was. Trevor Mcman, a guy who I entertained with my “affections,” for about eight months before I completely broke it off. Trevor’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong. Nothing really clicked with him, though. 

He was about six-two, with sandy brown hair and a come-hither smile that could make girls drop their panties instantly. God knows it worked on me several times. If I was a sensible twenty-one- year old woman, I would have let myself get lost in those kind baby-blues long ago. 

“Hi, Hope,” Trevor’s voice was deep, but kind of scratchy from being on the road singing with Kaleb and MG for two years. I plastered on a fake smile. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to see him. He was one of my closest friends, but he could be a bit clingy. “I was wondering-”

Suddenly, the bell on the door chimed again, and my breath left me in a whoosh of air. Green-gray eyes met mine as the automatic white doors closed, and an all-knowing grin lit Landon Kirby’s full lips. He was wearing a blue-button down shirt, along with a black jean jacket. I instinctively looked down at my simple red T-shirt and dark pants, avoiding eye contact. 

“Um, excuse me, Ms?” Landon’s voice flooded my senses like a rush of heat, and I finally looked up. His eyes were warm and kind as always, but there was something that I couldn’t decipher in his expression when his gaze landed on Trevor. Was that jealousy, Kirby? 

“I was wondering if I could have that picture in the back corner there?” Landon pointed to the only picture that I had of myself, posing in a very, um, unladylike position. “Um, I was talking-” Trevor tried to cut in. 

Landon didn’t even glance in his direction. “Right. And who are you again?”

Who is this man? Certainly not my-the timid Landon I fell in love with at the Mystic Grill. I shook my head. “That picture isn't for sale,” I bit out. 

Landon’s eyes rolled back, and-I swear to God-he bit his lower lip. “Oh, I can guarantee it is,” he shot back. “And I can promise I’ll take-” he sucked in a deep breath, leaning in close to my ear, touching the base of my spine with his fingertips-”good care of it.”


	5. “We’re The Same.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon and Hope have a surprise encounter;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me for the ending!

I slammed my white-colored bedroom door with an equal amount of ferocity as I did the hallway front door last night. Lizzie turned, sporting black leggings, a matching top, and hair pulled into a loose ponytail. “You know, if you break our doors, you’re paying for them,” she stated without glancing up from the official police papers on our wooden dresser. “That infuriating, smug son of a bitch!” I yelled, paying Lizzie’s words no mind. 

“I’m assuming you’re talking about our resident hobbit,” she said, and I didn’t miss the small glee in my best friend’s irises. “So, what did he do this time?” 

I plopped down on my bed, huffing and still facing her. “Landon came into the gallery today, and he asked if he could have the painting of me that’s on the far right corner of the shelf,” I said, hoping she understood which one I meant. 

Lizzie gasped, spinning in order to fully glance at me. The blonde completely abandoned her police informant paperwork as she sat down on the bed beside me, gaping. “The one where it looks like you’re sucking a d?-”

“Yeah!” I screamed, mortified. “And then when I told him that it wasn’t for sale, that man literally said: “Oh, i can guarantee it is,” then leaned down to whisper in my ear, “And I can promise I’ll take good care of it.”

Lizzie sputtered, holding her stomach as she doubled over, dying of laughter. “L-Landon said that?” She asked when she was finally able to breathe again. Lizzie blew out a long breath. “Wow! When did that boy get balls? I’m so proud!”

“Liz-” I was stopped from speaking when the doorbell rang. I got up and moved the gray curtains, peering outside. “Who’s blue Camero is that in the driveway?”

Lizzie didn’t respond right away. I turned, and she was biting her lip. “Landon’s,” she whispered. You don’t want to murder your best friend, you don’t want to murder your best friend, I thought repeatedly. “Why is he here?!” I growled. 

“I needed to find out where MG’S next set was, and Landon’s the only one who knows,” she defended herself. “I’m trying to go see him.”

“Fine,” I mumbled. “But you’re getting the damn door!”  
***

I heard voices rising from the living room a moment after Lizzie opened the hallway door. Shouting, actually. Rising from the bed and taking a deep breath, I opened my bedroom door a crack. “Lizzie, just tell me where she is! I need to know she’s safe,” Landon’s tone was desperate, pleading. 

“Landon, I-” He pushed past Lizzie into the living room, peering around. “You told me Hope was hurt, now tell me where she is before I wake up your neighbors screaming her name!” He demanded. I ran out into the hallway, pissed-off. “You told him I was what?!”

“Oops,” Lizzie tried-and failed-to conceal a smile. “Did I forget to mention that?” She queried, the picture of innocence. I eyed her, temper imploading. “Well, I’m gonna...not be here right now,” Lizzie scurried into the kitchen to her right like her life depended on it. 

When she was gone, Landon and I stood in the hallway, just staring at each other. The air was so thick I could taste it. “Well, I’m glad you’re safe,” he smiles, filling the silence with his voice. “Thanks,” I responded, clipped. Landon chuckled, and it reverberated through me. “So, we’re not gonna talk about how you broke up with me, and then walked away like I was nothing?”

“I didn’t have much to say. “Have a good life?” I asked, rolling my eyes. Landon casted his eyes down, nodding. “Hmm. Well, I have plenty to say,” he declared. 

“You are an ass! I am a complex evolved being, last time I checked,” I replied, avoiding eye contact. “Evolved people talk to one another,” Landon pointed out. “What are you even doing here in Portland, Landon?” I asked, annoyed. “Weren’t you in New York with-oh, what’s her name? Maria?”

“Michelle,” he bit out. “And for your information-” he said as he stepped closer, playing with a lock of my hair-”she’s my best friend.”

Landon was so close now that I could’ve kissed him if I wanted. “Then, why are you here?” I breathed. He smiled. “Because as much as you hate to admit it, we’re the same, you and I.”

I kissed him, our breaths mingling as I did so. Fire licked up my skin when Landon lifted me up into his arms, and a soft gasp escaped my lips as he kissed a trail down my neck. I ripped his jean jacket and blue shirt off and plowed my fingertips into his midnight hair, and Landon moaned. Suddenly, a cell phone rang, and I realized that it was coming from the floor. Landon groaned in annoyance and he set me back down on the ground. 

He looked at his IPhone caller ID and sighed, picking it up. “Catie, what’s wrong?” He asked, his voice soft. Landon huffed, sighing. “Okay, I’ll be right there,” he responded, hanging up the phone. “Dammit!”

Landon looked at me and smiled an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry! I have to go,” he said. “Family emergency.”

Family? Landon doesn’t have family left. I crossed my arms. “Who’s Catie, Landon?”

For the first time since he came here, he appeared regretful. “Uh, Catie Kirby. My wife.”


	6. “I’ll love you...forever!”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon and Hope talk, and discover some upsetting news;(

I walked out of my house, needing to breathe as tears clogged my throat. I heard rapid footsteps behind me when I crossed the street, and I turned to find a shirtless, hair-chested Landon standing in front of me. “Hope, Hope, if you would just let me explain-”

“Get the hell away from me!” I screamed, trying in vain to maneuver around him, but he grabbed my waist and lifted me into his arms again, leaving me with no other options but to hang onto his naked back for dear life. “Oh, no, you don’t! I’m not gonna let you run this time-ugh, stop screaming for help and just talk to me, you stubborn-ass woman!” Landon yelled. 

“Put me down! Help!” I shouted, struggling against his hold with as much strength as I dared, but he held firm. “Help-!”

Landon leaned up towards me, capturing my lips with a desperate softness that surprised me. My stomach fluttered at the contact, and my fingers found his curls without thought. “Wait,” Landon murmured against my lips. “Fuck! Wait, we need to talk.”

Landon put me down, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss his arms and the feel of him instantly. He’s married, and lying to you about the pictures, I thought bitterly. “You have five seconds, Kirby. Go,” I said, crossing my arms. 

Landon exhaled. “Well, for starters, I’m not legally married. Catie and I got officiated by Elvis in Vegas last year after a drunken one-night stand. As much as Catie might want it to be more significant, I am not-and will never be-in love with anyone but you, Hope Mikaelson.”

I peered down at the green grass under my feet, avoiding those piercing, green-gray irises and how vulnerable they made me feel. “Do you hate me?” Landon inquired, sucking in a breath as if preparing for an impending blow. I looked up, socking him in the jaw. 

“Ow!” Landon howled, holding his jaw. “What the hell was that for?!”

“For being stupid!” I snapped, rage simmering in my gut. “I could never, could NEVER physically hate you, Landon Kirby! I can’t, even when I try. I’ll love you...forever!” I screamed, and I was surprised to find it was the truth. “How could you be so stupid as to ask me that?”

“How could I be so stupid? Landon raised a brow, anger of his own spiking through. “You’re the one who’s living with the person that took pictures of us having sex, and then posted it online!”

I was slack-jawed, stunned. “W-what?” I asked, my tone a near whisper. Landon laughed, and it wasn’t kind. He sounded pained. “You’re telling me she never told you? Son of a bitch!” He scoffed. “ELIZABETH!” Landon roared into the house. 

Lizzie stepped outside, pissed. “What? I’m on the phone with MG,” she spat. I looked at my best friend, this woman that I knew almost as well as I knew myself. “You-”

I was cut off by a phone ringing. It was Landon’s again, and as he went to pick it up, the breath expelled from his lungs in an oomph. “Carrie? Aiden’s what?” 

The world fell away as I heard that name. “Okay, we’ll be right there,” Landon responded as he hung up the phone with a click. “Hope, we have to go, now. Aiden’s in intensive care.”

“Oh, my God!” I breathed, swaying. Landon took my hand as we walked towards his blue Commerro. All the while, Lizzie looked on, bemused. “Wait, who’s Aiden?” 

Landon turned back to the blonde, sighing. “Our son.”

Lizzie balked. “WHAT?”


	7. “Mikaelson Blood.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon and Hope go to visit their son in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you brought tissues!

I felt as if I crashed through the doors of Portland’s local hospital, Landon at my heels. I stared at the cream-colored walls, if only to regain some semblance of sanity. I thought I’d heard voices saying words, but I couldn’t be sure with the world collapsing around me. Aiden. Nothing would be right until I could see my Aiden. 

“Aiden-Mikaelson Kirby’s room, please?” Landon’s low, soothing tone was a tether to reality in which I clung to desperately. “Are you family?” The heavy-set, forty-something woman asked, her dark hair gleaming and eyes too joyful to be a nurse working in a hospital. 

“Yes,” Landon replied, his calm demeanor washing over me. I knew better,, though, to assume that he was anything close to serene. I had enough sense to hold his hand, like he knew to gently press on my back in order for me to navigate through these halls. It’s helping us not to break. “We’re his biological parents.”

The woman smiled and I wondered-once again-how she could be so happy. “Room two-eleven, down the hall to your right,” she responded. Landon gave the woman a half-hearted smile. “Thank you-” he read her name tag, which was stamped to her blue uniform-”Seylah.”  
***

An eternity later, we stopped at room two-eleven, took a collective breath and stepped into our own personal hell. Warm crystal-clear blue Irises greeted us with a smile, but where the brown-haired woman usually had so much life in her, now she appeared worried and sad. “Hi, babies,” Carrie said. Landon sat down on the bed next to Carrie, taking her hand in his. “Hi, Mom,” Landon breathed. Carrie swatted his arm, and he yelped. “Boy, you know that I hate when you call me that,” Carrie whispered. Landon smiled, the first genuine one I’ve seen since we got here. “I know.”

Carrie hugged him tight to her, her red dress ruffling as she did so. I realized she was crying, and my heart shattered. I had never seen Carrie Crawford cry in the three years that I’ve known her, and I took my son’s hand for strength. “Hey, Bud,” I whispered, trying not to cry myself at seeing my three-year old in a hospital bed, light blue eyes closed. “It’s Momma. I don’t know if you can hear me, but try and wake up soon, okay? I miss you.”

Physically, Aiden looked fine. His jet-black hair wasn’t unkempt, his breathing was steady, and I half-expected him to wake up and dazzle me with his version of his father’s smile, and my dry wit. But he wouldn’t, and I knew that. 

“They’re still running tests,” Carrie explained as she came closer to me, her hand rubbing my back while Landon ruffled Aiden’s hair gently. “God, I don’t know what happened! We were at the park, and then his little body fell to the ground, seezing, and I-I-”

“Carrie,” I stopped her, grasping her hand. Her eyes widened, startled. I had never taken her hand before. “You’re doing amazing with him, better than we could’ve done at eighteen,” I looked to Landon, who nodded in confirmation. He came closer to Carrie, and took her other hand. “Carrie Crawford, you beat my foster father to literal death with your bare hands because he was abusing me, and you were just my neighbor back then. You could’ve gone about your life, but you didn’t. Not only that, but you adopted me when I was thirteen years old, and put me through boarding school. You saved my life, mom. Who better to take care of our child until we were ready?”

Aiden’s monitor started beeping erratically, and soon we were rushed out of his room by doctors and nurses. The hallway swayed, and if it wasn’t for Landon holding me up by the arms, I would have fallen to the ground, sobbing like Carrie’s doing right now. 

I was sobbing, but Landon was hugging me to him. “Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God!” I sputtered. “Landon, what if he-?”

Landon let go of me, staring me straight in the eyes. “He won’t, Hope. Aiden’s strong,” Landon whispered. “But what if he-?”

“Aiden has Mikaelson blood. He has your blood, Hope Andrea Mikaelson. And Kirby blood,” Landon smiled. “He’s so strong, baby.”


	8. “Yours.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Landon have a moment amongst the chaos;)

Two weeks later, I was standing in my living room, pacing back and forth. I never wanted to leave the hospital and neither did Landon, but he had to work and do whatever it was he did, and I had the art gallery to take care of. To be completely honest, Landon never really told me what or where his job was, and I pondered that for a second. Why didn’t he? He wouldn’t normally keep something as trivial like work from me. Right? 

I kept calling Carrie every hour on the hour, but Aiden hasn’t woken up yet, and no one knows why, hence my pacing. The door opened, and a rage I’ve never experienced before lit my blood with its putrid fire. I had my arms wrapped around Lizzie Saltzmen’s throat before she could even enter the house. “WHY DID YOU TAKE THOSE PICTURES?” I screeched, her aqua-blue dress riding up as I held her up with all the strength I possessed. 

“They-they-” she choked out-”threatened Josie if I-I-d-didn’t. I had n-no c-choice,” Lizzie explained. I let my chokehold on her loosen, if only to allow her to continue. She choked and sucked in a lungfull of air, peering at me like I’d lost my mind.

“These two men in black clothing had snuck into my dorm room window one night-which I don’t even know how because The Salvatore School was supposed to be air-tight-and put a gun to my head and threatened Jo’s life if I didn’t take pictures of you and Landon in any sort of intimacy and send it to them. I would NEVER HAVE done it if Jo’s life wasn’t on the line. I swear to you, Hope.”  
Lizzie was crying now-no, sobbing-and I took her right hand in mine. “Hey, hey! I believe you,” I breathed. Sister bonds were sacred, especially twin sister bonds. I had learned that from them. 

I hugged her tightly as she sobbed, when a realization dawned. “Is that why Josie’s in Belgium with Penelope, and only goes home when you have parties? Because she’s safer with people around?” I shook my head. “Damn! Who are these people?’

Landon opened the back door, and I realized that it was almost midnight. He’s in a black sweatshirt, complemented by gray pants. Simple, like always, but somehow he made being simplistic his look. Good God! 

“Hope, can we talk? I have to tell-” Landon peered up at my satin-green dress, with my hair straight for once and falling down my shoulders. And maybe just a little bit of purple eyeliner. I wanted to change it up in the chaos that was my life at the moment. 

Landon came over to me, wrapping his hands around my waist and bringing his lips to mine. A zing of fire danced over me as we kissed, but this kiss felt different. It was a slow, rhythmic pattern that we followed, as my fingers just glided through his hair, not pushing or pulling. Just gliding, his palms resting on my cheeks instead of them exploring my body like usual. 

We pulled back in unison, smiling wider than we ever had before. “Wow,” Landon chuckled, gazing into my eyes. “Can I be yours, Hope Mikaelson?”  
“Um, do I need to leave the fucking room?” Lizzie asked, making us jump apart. Landon and I laughed, shaking our heads. “Oh, so what did you need to tell me?” I queried, nestling into him. “Oh-”

A gunshot went off from the window, and I was hit with a pain so deep that it made me fall into Landon’s arms. Blood gushed from a wound I couldn’t identify, and my vision turned spotty. “Hope? Hope, baby?! Oh, God!” 

The last thing I heard Landon and Lizzie whisper as I fell unconscious was: “Triad.”


	9. “Hello, bitches.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope, Lizzie and Landon get kidnapped by Triad, and an unexpected enemy is revealed...

I felt as if my arm was being torn apart as I woke up, disoriented and confused beyond belief. Waking up in a metal-walled white room will do that to you, I guess. The moment I tried to move, thick black chains restrained me and electricity pulsed through my left arm, where I was shot. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” I howled, grunting at my useless effort. Dammit, that hurt! 

A man rushed into the room, one-eyed and pissed. His sandy-brown hair looked ruffled, like he’d been through some sort of war too long and could never get it back to the way it was before. “Scream like that again, bitch, and I’ll blow your brains out!” The rat pointed to his C-45 and grinned like a child in a candy store. 

The rat was inches from my face, but I grinned all the while. “And there’s nothing you can do about it because your friends-” he gestured to the floor where Lizzie and Landon laid-”are unconscious and you’re chained to this bed,” he taunted. His ear was so close, and I whispered into it. 

“There’s just one thing you’re missing out on.”

The rat squinted. “Oh, yeah? And what’s that?”

“Motherfucker, my name is Hope Andrea Mikaelson.”

I banged my head against the rat’s and he fell away from me, dazed. Then he dropped to the ground with an audible crash. Landon suddenly woke with a gasp from his parted lips and sat up rapidly. “Hope?” He asked, gaze darting around. I looked down at him, smiling despite myself. “Right here, love,” I responded. 

He sighed, relieved. “Where are we, Landon?” I asked, my tone a near whisper. “Fucking Triad, a government operative fighting against my company, Drax. I used to work for them as an agent, and now they want revenge on my entire family for some ungodly reason,” he explained. Oh, my God! “That’s why you never wanted anyone to know about Aiden,” I nodded, the pieces falling into place. 

“It was for your and his protection,” Landon confirmed. He stood up, running to my side and undoing my chains as quickly as he could. Two really strong pulls later, and I was safe in Landon’s arms. He supported my injured arm by letting it hang on his shoulder. “Aww! I wanted to be the one to tear your dress in two,” Landon sounded like he was pouting as he said this. I chuckled. 

His tone suddenly turned serious again when we reached the door, and I peered at a very-still Lizzie on the floor. Landon cleared his throat. “Lizzie has some unfinished business with Triad, so she has to stay here,” Landon explained, bracing for my ire. 

I was just too bemused at this point to be angry. “What kind of unfinished business?-”

Just then, the door opened, and my jaw went slack. Josie Saltzmen stood in the doorway, matching in black to her heels, hair, and even her clothes. She smiled, and it sent shivers down my spine. “Hello, bitches,” she said in the calmest, most unfeeling tone when she stepped inside. “Miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Josie Saltzmen's COMING FOR ALL OF US!


	10. "Live."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie reveals some secrets that are better left buried to Hope, Landon and Lizzie. Lizzie makes a decision that will change everything.

Josie had chained us up again, and the sound of the chains dragging across the white floor grated on my ears. Everything’s white here. Colorless. I shivered, fear coursing through my bones. Landon’s feet were bound, but his hands weren’t, and so he grabbed mine for reassurance. 

It instantly calmed me, and a small smile sneaked through. But it completely evaporated as Josie turned, a cold, dead smirk on her red lips. Lizzie chose that exact moment to wake up, her blue eyes scanning the room and then flitting back to Josie. “Jo, what’s going on?” She asked, a slight tremor in her voice. 

That creepy little smirk still was attached to Josie’s face, like it was pasted on. “Oh! Liz, you’re just in time to watch me kill your bestie’s boyfriend!” She stated with a lightness that was in deep contrast with the situation. “Fuck you!” Landon spat. 

“Aww!” Josie came in close proximity to Landon’s face, touching his cheeks. “We tried that already, lover. Remember?” 

Josie tisked-tisked. “It’s a shame, really. If you had just stuck to the plan and made Hope fall in love with you and then left her three months later, we wouldn’t be here right now. But you had to go fall in love and have a child with this trollop,” she scoffed in disgust. 

I peered at Landon, my blood frozen. “What?” I asked, speechless. Landon looked away, evidently ashamed. “Hmm. Too bad. Bye-bye, pretty boy,” Josie shrugged, pulling out a black gun. Lizzie suddenly screamed, her chains relenting from adrenaline. She jumped in front of her sister’s path just when she fired. The bullet went straight through Lizzie’s chest. But she only smiled as she turned to me, looked directly into my eyes, and whispered: “L-live.”

My best friend collapsed to the ground, dead. I screamed.


	11. "Beautiful Chaos."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little interlude chapter;)

Peering at my best friend’s lifeless body, rage exploded somewhere in the corner of my mind so deeply that I literally blacked out, but apparently, I was still moving. According to what Landon told me later, I had broken out of my chains, tackled Josie to the ground, grabbed her gun, and shot her three times with the bud of the gun to her head. I didn’t remember any of it. I had evidently passed out after. 

I woke up comforted by blue sheets, the scent of fresh cologne invading my nostrils. There was a body next to mine, and I smiled when I recognized it. I nestled into Landon, his heart beating under my fingertips. I sat up, staring at his sleeping form, and a realization crept up on me so rapidly that I couldn’t breathe. 

Despite his mistakes, this man was my whole world. I loved him with a fire that cracked through every darkness I’d ever been through. Landon Kirby was my best friend. My confidant. “I could stare into your eyes forever,” Landon’s voice rumbled as he woke up, gazing at me from the right side of the bed. I was, presumably, on the right. 

“Do you know why I call you baby all time?” Landon asked. I shook my head, expectant. Landon smiled, a glint in his eyes. “Your eyes are like beautiful chaos, beautiful, baby-blue chaos.”

I smiled, my heart expanding. “So, just because of the color of my eyes?” I queried. His cheeks turned red, as if he were embarrassed. “God, I love you, Landon Kirby.” I whispered. 

He exhaled. “I love you, too, Hope Mikaelson.”

I paused. “How did we get home, Landon?” I asked, confused. He leaned down, kissing my forehead. “Shh. Don’t worry about that now. What do you need?”

I sucked in a breath, memories flashing before me. “To cry. Okay?” I asked, as he pulled me closer. “Okay, baby.”


	12. “Come Back To Me.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon wakes up to heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Landon's POV;)

I was woken up by the sound of something dripping. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the too-bright sun coming from the chocolate-colored curtains. In a steady drip-drip-drip, something red came down from my bedroom ceiling and onto my face. I touched my forehead, and it left a red mark on my left index finger. Gasping when I realized what it was, I recoiled further into the blue and gray waterbed. “Is that blood? Is that blood?! Oh, my God!”

Okay, I’m not squeamish by any means, but blood came down from the ceiling, and it’s a brand new one, too! Give me a damn break, will ya?! “Fuck today!” I spat. I peered up, noticing something sticking out of the ceiling at an unnatural angle. 

I rose up, moving away from my bed and planting my feet on solid, marble ground. I grabbed a ladder from my bedroom closet, almost stumbling getting onto it. Once I did manage to get a hold of it, I poked and prodded the ceiling with my fingertips, and something fell out with a loud boom to the floor. 

Or-rather-someone. 

I got down on my knees, hyperventilating and sobbing. My mother was covered with blood, her features barely recognizable and her skin ghost-white. “NO! Hope, help me! Carrie’s not breathing!” I shouted, looking up towards my bed through bleary eyes. 

I ran towards the foot of it, turning Hope over and discovering a knife protruded from her chest. My knees went weak, my body shook, and my sobs were monstrous. “Please, wake up,” I begged, grasping her right hand. “Please, Hope, I can’t lose you, too! Come on, baby! Open those beautiful baby-blues for me, okay? I need you, Hope! Please?” I cried. “Please come back to me, baby.”


	13. "Two Things."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon has an anxiety attack at the hospital with Aiden;(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: heartbreaking!

My world was absolutely shattered. I don’t even know how I was still capable of standing right now. But I had to, because Aiden needed me. Because I needed him. And so, I pushed his curly black hair that we shared back from his baby-blue irises that were reminiscent of his mom’s, sighing as I kissed his forehead. “Daddy loves you, buddy,” I whispered into his ear. 

Suddenly, my breathing became erratic, and there were spots dancing behind my eyes. My skin felt like it was burning. What little sound was left in this hospital room evaporated until there was a nothingness that felt like death. I fell in a heap on the plain white floor, breathlessly sobbing. 

I didn’t hear anyone enter the room. But there were hands wrapped around my pulse all of a sudden, and a female voice was at my ear. “Landon? Landon, love? Nod your head just slightly, so I know you can feel this,” the soft female voice instructed. 

I nodded, still hyperventilating. “Good! Now-” the female voice placed both of my hands on her chest-and the action was so familiar that I almost cried harder. Hope? 

The feminine voice continued, oblivious to my thoughts. “Can you feel my breathing? How slow it is? I want you to do the same thing, Landon. It’s all about control and focus, just inhale and exhale very, very slowly,” the woman said, her tone a whisper. 

I did as she said, my breaths easing in intensity as the world snapped back into focus. I breathed in just because I needed to, and finally opened my eyes again. The woman was gone. I sighed, picking up my brown bag from the floor and slinging it over my shoulder. Something fell out of it when I did that, and a gasp parted my lips when I saw my name written across in cursive on white paper.   
The letter was dated two days ago: 5/20. I opened it, read it, read it again, and sobbed like the shell of a broken man I was becoming. 

Dear Landon, 

If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead, and I’m so sorry for that. God, Landon, words can’t even express how sorry I am! So, in the event of my death, I only ask two things. Take care of Aiden in the way that I know only you can. And please know that you were everything I could’ve ever wished for, everything. I love you so much, and I always will. 

Always and forever, 

-Hope


	14. "Let Go."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon has an unexpected visitor at home...

I walked into my one-bedroom apartment, the stained-glass walls and huge, clear chandelier closing in on me. A woman wearing all black and knee-high boots, with her midnight hair shoulder-length stood before me. “Celia,” I bit out. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked, scowling and crossing my arms over my navy-blue sweatshirt. 

Celia did the same, her green irises gleaming. “Now, is that any way to greet your baby sister, Landon?” She challenged me. I snarled, my rage fueling the fire inside as she stepped closer. “You lost the right to call yourself that the minute you left me to be abused by our foster father,” I snapped.

Celia recoiled as if I’d slapped her. I scoffed. “And you know what hurt worse? You were nineteen! You could’ve taken me with you when you left So, forgive me if I’m not exactly forthcoming,” I said. 

Celia shrugged, changing the subject altogether. As she always did when things became too difficult. “So, how are you, big brother?” Her tone was softer, so soft-in fact-that I almost didn’t hear her. I chuckled, but it was humorless and void of life. 

“How am I?” I repeated sardonically, the way Hope used to. “Well, let’s recap, shall we, Celia? I found my mother dead in the ceiling of my bedroom, and then not even minutes later, I found the love of my life and the mother of my child with a knife sticking out of her chest in our bed! Not to mention, that said child’s in a coma from having a FUCKING seizure!”

Celia’s mouth parted, taken aback. Whether by my yelling or what I’ve just told her, I can’t be sure. I sighed. “So, in answer to your question, I’m just trying to keep from dying.”

“Oh, Landon-” Celia opened her arms, trying to step forward. I stopped her with my right hand, palm up. “NO! You don’t get to comfort me anymore! Don’t you get it? I hate you!” I spat. 

I attempted to move towards the hallway to my left, but Celia blocked my path by jumping in front of it. “Get out of my way, C-”

“No,” she snapped, shaking her head. I tried to physically remove her from the spot by picking her up, but she grabbed a hold of my waist instead. “Celia,” I gritted out. “Get the fuck out of my way!”

Celia laughed. “Aww, that’s cute! Little bro thinks he has balls now,” she mocked playfully. I growled. “Let go of my waist!” I screamed. 

“No,” she responded, as calm as ever. With her free hand, she tried to pull me in for a hug. “I said LET GO OF ME,” I was breathless at this point, and teary-eyed from anger and so many other emotions I couldn’t name. 

“Let go,” I whispered, my entire body shaking as a tear slipped from my right eye. Celia wrapped her arms around me, falling to the floor with me when I collapsed and started sobbing hysterically. “Let go, Celia!” I wailed. 

I could feel Celia shaking her head, her own emotions emerging when she quivered out: “Not a chance, brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone, meet Celia Kirby;) ♥


	15. "Holy Fuck."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback of two days ago, when Hope and Landon were kidnapped by Triad [from Hope's POV]

I screamed, my body shaking as my rage over my best friend’s dead corpse laying on the floor boiled over. The chains around my legs and arms broke off from adrenaline. I tackled Josie to the ground, pinning her feet and hands to the floor with the help of my weight and whole body. 

I might be short, but I’m scrappy as hell. I was basically stradling Josie while grabbing the gun with my right hand. Once I got a good grip on it, I placed it to her head as she struggled, screamed, and grunted that she would kill me. “Bitch, do you know who I am?! I could snap your fucking neck like a twig if I wanted,” I breathed against her ear. Then, I shot her three times in the head. 

I looked up into Landon’s green eyes, and his jaw was slack. “I killed her,” I whispered, half relieved and half sad. I stood up, mechanically removing Landon’s chains on shaky legs. “I know,” he responded, still evidently stunned. “Holy fuck!”

I smiled despite myself. “Holy fuck, baby!” I repeated, as I sagged against him. He held me up with all his strength as a phone rang. It was Landon’s. I picked it up out of his back pocket with a swiftness that surprised me, considering how tired I was. “Carrie? If this is you, we need help. Now.” Those were the last words I uttered before the world went black, and the phone fell from my hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Holy fuck," is the new, "People suck." Lmao! Only true Handons know what this means! Lol!


	16. "Rising Like A Phoenix."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon and Celia jump out a window;) Lol!

I’m drowning in lake water. No, more like suffocating. The more I tried to make my body float up towards the surface, the more resistance I met. It didn’t help that there was a plastic bag over my head, either. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t move. I’m going to die, I realized. And so, I closed my eyes and surrendered to this deep, dark water…

***  
One Hour Earlier

It was mid-afternoon, and I was standing in my kitchen wearing black boxer briefs. I didn’t have the energy to care about my appearance anymore. I mean, unless I was going to see Aiden, which had been happening less and less recently. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to see him, but the doctors have been testing his brain chemistry to see if he has some sort of brain defect, and I knew that if I were there, I would want to protect him with my life. But that would hinder his progress. 

Shaking my head, I tried to dislodge these thoughts. Don’t go there, love. It’ll hurt,” Hope’s words of comfort echoed in my head, a new fresh pint of agony. “Dammit!” I screamed, knocking over the milkshake I was drinking. A peanut butter blast with whipped cream on the bottom, of course. Hope’s favorite. 

The glass shattered on the granite floor, but as I started to bend over in order to clean it up, I saw something out of the corner of my eye that made me pause. The white kitchen window. A gun. And a very pissed-off Penelope Park in a trench coat. “Oh, sh-”

I ran into my room, where my sister was still sleeping. Actually, I kicked the door open, and Celia woke up with a gasp. “Landon, what the-?”

I shook my head rapidly, grabbing each of us a plastic bag to cover our heads. As quickly as I could, I placed it both over our heads. “What are you doing?” I thought I heard Celia ask from beneath the bag. I picked her up, like I used to do when we were little and play-fighting, a tiny smile lining my lips. “Rising like a phoenix, little sister.”

And then I crashed through my bedroom window into my neighbor’s lake as gunshots popped off behind us.   
***  
Three Hours Later

My eyes opened and I gasped, spitting out water immediately. I was on a beach in the middle of nowhere, apparently. The sun glided off the salt water, illuminating the crystal-clear blue ocean. Celia stirred beside me, throwing up water. “What. The. Hell?!” Celia gasped when she had removed the bag from her face, hair soaked and body shivering. 

I was about to tell her everything, when I saw something sitting to her right. Standing on wet, bare feet and shivering, I gaped as I walked closer. My world stopped. I fell to my knees, sobbing. 

There, perched on the sand and half-melted in a styrofoam cup, sits a peanut butter blast with whipped cream on the bottom. I managed to get off my knees and grab it, discovering that it was almost gone. “Hope?” I whimpered. “Baby?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope. Andrea. Mikaelson!


	17. "Your Very Distant Future Sister-In-Law."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon's Journey to find Hope begins, with a surprise;)

Gasping awake, I peered around, coming face to face with dark blue windows, a bright candelabra, and, as I looked down, crystal-clear sheets. At this point, I was royally confused. Weren’t Celia and I just on a beach? “Hope?” I asked, not daring to breathe. 

“Guess again,” my sister quipped, ever-annoying as she opened the brown wooden door. I rolled my eyes, but I still felt lighter than any other day before this. “Snark all you want, Celia, but nothing is gonna break my good mood today,” I said, smiling. 

Celia entered the room fully, her dark hair in ringlets around her head, her purple skirt hugging her waist. My sister’s green eyes always held mischief in them, and today was no exception. “Why are you so happy all of a sudden?” She asked, appearing genuinely confused. 

The smile on my face could’ve moved mountains. “The love of my life is still alive,” I responded in the most joyful tone that even surprised me. Celia placed her hands on my head. “You didn’t hit your head on that beach in Richmond, did you?”

I stared at her, eyes wide. “Richmond, Virginia?” I queried as I started laughing like a maniac. “Ooh, taking me close to where we first met? Baby, you’re a fuckin genius!” I exclaimed, glancing up to wherever in the world Hope was right now. Kissing my sister on the cheek, I practically jumped out of bed and dressed myself as quickly as I could in a blue plaid T-shirt and jeans from an open brown closet in the corner. 

“Good thing it’s only five, and I remembered to brush my teeth and put some cologne on this morning, or I would’ve been screwed right now,” I chuckled. Celia rolled her eyes. “Landon, where are you going?” She asked, bewilderment clouding her irises. I paused, steps from the door. “To find your very distant future sister-in- law,” I beamed. I walked the rest of the distance towards the door, my finger on the knob to pull it open. Before I could, though, someone pushed it open from the other side. 

And I came face to face with a very bloody woman who I’ve only seen in a couple pictures, the same woman who just collapsed into my arms. 

Hayley-Marshall-Kenner. 

Hope’s mom. 

Hope’s very dead mom. Supposedly. 

What the fuck?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow!


	18. "The Man My Daughter Loves."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth about Aiden is revealed...

I dragged Hayley’s unconscious form across the beige carpet, her body shaking uncontrollably as I placed her on the bed next to Celia. “Who’s this? And why is she convulsing?” My sister asked, and I shook my head. “You know, has anyone told you that you’re not very forthcoming with answering questions?” 

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. “Really, Celia? The love of my life’s mother is dying on your beach house bed, and you want me to answer some damn questions?” I laughed mirthlessly. “No.”

My sister huffed, sliding off the bed to allow Hayley more room. “Fine. I’ll be in the next room if you need me, big brother,” she replied, shaking her head and leaving the room. 

“She’s kind of a nosey little bitch, isn’t she, Lan?” Hayley asked, sitting up, stretching out, and wiping blood off her face. “Waaa! I screamed, leaping back a few steps. “H-how?-”

“Oh, please don’t ask! Then i’m going to have to lie, and that’s not a good first impression on the man my daughter loves,” Hayley said, palm rubbing her head as if she had a migraine. “All you need to know, Landon, is that I know how well you treated Hope, and how much you loved her. Thank you for taking care of my baby-girl,” she smiled, touching my left cheek with her right hand briefly. 

Clearing my throat so that I don’t get too choked up, I whispered softly. “You’re welcome, uh-”

“Hayley,” the fierce, hazel-eyed woman nodded in approval. “You can call me Hayley, Landon.”

I crinkled my nose. “How do you know my name, Hayley?” I asked, and Hayley suddenly looked wistful but sad at the same time. “My own epic love told me. And now, we need to go find yours. But first, where’s my grandson? I want to meet the little guy,” she smiled, and my heart broke. 

“Hayley?” I cleared my throat, preparing myself for the worst. “Aiden’s in the hospital because he had a seizure three weeks ago, and the doctors have no idea what’s wrong. He’s in a coma.”

Hayley’s eyes became sharp, cold, and determined. The brunette shook her head vehemently. “No, Landon. He didn’t have a seizure,” she breathed, moving towards the door as she stood up. “He was poisoned. By Triad.”

I was stunned speechless. Hayley could apparently see the questions on my face because she growled in a low tone, “I know because it happened to me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, what are y'all thinking about that reveal? Are you shocked, angry, or what?


	19. "Surprise!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landon and Hayley get attacked!

Hayley and I ran towards my blue camaro, our hearts racing at extremely dangerous levels. We were stopped midway by a big, bulky man in a trench coat, a snarl twisting his features into something plain demonic. The man lunged with the speed of a thousand hellhounds, but Hayley socked him in the jaw, and once he was down, she kicked him in the balls. 

Our assailant howled in pain, doubling over. “What do you people want with my family?!” I growled. The man looked dead in my eyes, and whispered something that turned my blood to ice. “Hope.”

A shrill scream split the air in two, and I peered up in terror. What looked like a woman in a black cloak was swinging Hayley on a white chain, spinning her around like a rag doll. I moved to help Hayley, but someone placed a gentle hand on my arm. 

“Elizabeth Jenna Saltzmen, let go of my mother before I kill you! Again,” Hope’s strong, unrelenting tone rang through the air, and she chuckled. My heart split open, and everything in my world righted itself again. 

Lizzie sighed, grumbling. “Fine. Ruin all my fun, why don’t you? Dammit!”

Hope turned towards me, and God, those light blue eyes could break me, or make me whole. “Hi, baby,” I breathed in utter shock. 

Hope smiled. “Surprise!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I have to say is: Gotcha!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, loves! This will span into chapters [I'm not sure how many yet, though.] Enjoy;) ♥


End file.
